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Worry laced her words. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know.” He reached out to her. His hand covered hers, and he squeezed. “Please. I need you to do this.”
“As soon as I get help, I’m coming back.” There was fear mingled with sadness in her voice.
She squeezed his hand and then made her way off the rocks. He watched until her shadowy figure disappeared from view. The sand cushioned her steps. All he could hear was the constant pounding of the waves.
He didn’t know if Jo would make it back with help before one of those big waves caused him more injury. For the first time in his adult life, he had to rely on another person for his very existence. He was thankful that someone happened to be Jo.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Herheartpounded.
Her lungs burned.
Jo ran along the beach. A cloud moved in front of the moon, obscuring the moon. It was dark and windy. In the inky blackness, she stumbled over a smallish rock. Her toes hurt, but she ignored them. Once she regained her balance, she kept going.
The image of Lane trapped between those rocks flashed in her mind. She’d heard the worry in his voice. He knew as well as she did the peril he was in.
What had she been thinking to go this far north at night? She knew the dangers of the rocks. And yet she’d let herself get caught up in the romance of the evening. She’d let herself imagine that this was truly the beginning of their relationship. She’d let herself imagine that Lane cared for her as much as she cared for him. She’d let go of her common sense for one moment, only to have it end in disaster.
The inn was closer than Beachcomber Park. She ran up to the inn and tried the back door but because of the hour, it was locked. And she didn’t have her keycard.
She ran to the front of the inn. Guests gave her bedraggled appearance a second and third glance. She didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to her was helping Lane.
She rushed to the reception desk. Harvey’s eyes grew round. His mouth opened, but no words came out. She reached for the phone and dialed 911.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
“We need help. There’s a man trapped in the rocks on the beach. North of the Brass Anchor Inn.” The 911 operator asked her questions, and Josie did her best to calm herself down in order to give the best answers she could.
She began to shiver and her teeth to chatter. It was making it hard for her words to be heard correctly. The next thing she knew, there was a warm blanket being draped over her shoulders. With the phone in her hand, she glanced over to find Harvey next to her with a worried look on his face.
“I’m coming with you,” Harvey said.
“No. Make sure the fire department can find us.” She went on to repeat what she’d told the 911 operator.
“I’m on it. Be careful.”
With help on the way, she ran back out the door. In the background the volunteer fire department’s siren wailed.Hurry! Please hurry.
The dark beach no longer looked romantic. The sound of the ocean crashing into the shore was no longer lulling. The moonlight was no longer so bright.
Her legs grew heavy as she continued to push herself along the way. All the while her thoughts were on Lane and what he must be facing out there all alone. Her heart ached for him.
She glanced to the side, hoping to see the flashing lights of help. There were none. Her foot stepped onto the corner of the blanket. She tripped and hit the ground. Tears of frustration and worry gathered in her eyes. She blinked them away. There wasn’t time to fall apart. Lane needed her.
She scrambled back to her feet and continued onward.Lane, I’m coming.
He was so cold.
The chill seeped into his bones.
After Jo left, Lane had tried every which way to free himself. And worse yet, he thought his trapped foot was swelling, making it even harder to free it.
The incoming tide beat upon the rocks. Most of his left foot was now submerged in the standing water. And with the increasing number of clouds, there was no more moonlight. He never knew when one of the waves would be large and hit him. It wasn’t like a little splash in the face. This was much more like a body slam by a wall of water.
It would shove him into the rocks, tearing his shirt and scraping his skin. If he could just get his left foot free. He tried again to work himself free. He used every muscle in his body. He didn’t care if he scraped off his skin. It would grow back, but at least he’d be free of the rocks and away from the pounding waves.
